Mexican – FoodWatcher

5-Minute Bean Dip

This intensely delicious bean dip recipe takes literally 5 minutes. You won’t believe how easy it is to make this party favorite! This recipe happened by accident. That’s where many great recipes come from, right? Happy accidents. From this most recent accident came our famous 5-Minute Bean Dip recipe! It’s not superlative when I say it might be the very easiest recipe we’ve ever created. Beans, salsa, and cheese come together into the creamiest, gooiest piping hot mess. Dunk in crunchy chips and it tastes remarkably like the queso from your favorite Mexican joint. With just 3 ingredients, the flavor is more irresistibly complex than you’d imagine. But to really understand the magic here: you’ve got to taste it. Ingredients in the fastest, easiest bean dip recipe Alex whipped this up on a whim one night to go with some tacos, and it was so unexpectedly delicious that we decided it needed to go public. We’ve made this so many times, we’ve lost count. The greatness is in its simplicity, because all you need is 3 ingredients (plus salt): Canned borlotti or pinto beans Salsa Shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese Pinto beans vs borlotti beans Oddly enough, we first […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This intensely delicious bean dip recipe takes literally 5 minutes. You won’t believe how easy it is to make this party favorite!

This recipe happened by accident. That’s where many great recipes come from, right? Happy accidents. From this most recent accident came our famous 5-Minute Bean Dip recipe! It’s not superlative when I say it might be the very easiest recipe we’ve ever created. Beans, salsa, and cheese come together into the creamiest, gooiest piping hot mess. Dunk in crunchy chips and it tastes remarkably like the queso from your favorite Mexican joint. With just 3 ingredients, the flavor is more irresistibly complex than you’d imagine. But to really understand the magic here: you’ve got to taste it.

Ingredients in the fastest, easiest bean dip recipe

Alex whipped this up on a whim one night to go with some tacos, and it was so unexpectedly delicious that we decided it needed to go public. We’ve made this so many times, we’ve lost count. The greatness is in its simplicity, because all you need is 3 ingredients (plus salt):

Canned borlotti or pinto beans
Salsa
Shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

Pinto beans vs borlotti beans

Oddly enough, we first made this bean dip recipe with a unique variety of beans: borlotti beans! Alex found them on a whim at our local grocery and we accidentally loved them. This bean dip tastes amazing with the creamy, meaty texture of borlotti beans, but they can be hard to find. Pinto beans work just as well as a substitute! Here’s some info about both:

What are borlotti beans? Borlotti beans are a bean related to kidney and pinto beans. They’re common in Italy and Mexico, and also referred to as cranberry beans or cacahuate beans (in Mexico). In their dried state they’re a beautiful dappled white and pink color, but when cooked they look the same color as pinto beans, a sort of pinkish brown. We found them in 13-ounce jars in our local grocery.
Pinto beans are the best substitute for borlotti beans! You can easily make this dip with pinto beans and it tastes just as good!

How to make bean dip: the fast way

This dip couldn’t be easier or faster. (Have we emphasized that enough yet?) In fact, you don’t even need to drain or rinse those beans. Yep, just use them right from the can! Here’s the brief overview of how this bean dip recipe comes together:

Dump beans, salsa & cheese into a saucepan. Don’t drain or rinse the beans: the can liquid is important to getting just the right texture.
Heat until the cheese melts. You’ll see it go from mostly melted to becoming a sort of liquid cheese. That’s when it’s ready! Serve when it’s piping hot.

Can you substitute cooked dry beans?

Usually we’re all about cooking dried beans. But in this bean dip recipe, we do not recommend substituting cooked dry beans. Why? Canning beans makes their membranes very tender, almost mushy. Canned beans also have thickened can liquid, which is impossible to obtain at home when you cook from dry. You need both of these things in order for this bean dip to come together so quickly with just the right texture. Save those beans for one of these bean recipes!

Add a garnish for some flair

Typically we serve this bean dip without a garnish. But if you want to take it over the top for parties, add a garnish! Throw a few chopped veggies in the center of the dip, and the color contrast looks lovely. Here are a few ideas for the garnish:

Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Red onion or green onion, finely chopped
Cilantro
Pickled jalapenos
Hot sauce (like Cholula)

Vegan variation (and healthy option!)

Wait, you don’t want a gooey cheesy bean dip? We’ve got an option for you too. This Easy Refried Bean Dip is vegan and full of flavor! You’ll use storebought canned refried beans instead of whole beans, and mix it with green chiles and seasonings. It’s terrifically delicious and a smidge healthier than this bean dip recipe, if you’re looking for something lighter.

What to pair with bean dip

That’s it! You’ve got your bean dip faster than the time it takes you to read this article. Lastly, here are a few things we’d pair with bean dip. You can likely think of these yourself, but we wanted to point to a few specific recipes:

Tortilla chips: Sure, you can buy them. But have you ever tried Homemade Tortilla Chips? Warm from the oven, they’re simply sublime.
Guacamole: Add a batch of Simple Guacamole and you’re set.
Tacos: This is the perfect side to go with tacos. Some favorites around here are Crispy Avocado Tacos, Epic Fish Tacos or Quick Shrimp Tacos.
Margaritas: I mean…! Try our Classic Margarita or Pineapple Margarita, or any of our best Margarita Recipes.

This bean dip recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, see the substitutes above.

5-Minute Bean Dip

(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

5 from 5 reviews

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

This intensely delicious bean dip recipe takes literally 5 minutes. You won’t believe how easy it is to make this party favorite!

Ingredients

2 13 or 15-ounce jars borlotti beans or cans pinto beans
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
8 ounces mild or medium salsa
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan: no need to drain or rinse the beans (add the can liquid too)! Warm it over medium heat until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Mash beans gently with a masher if you’d like a smoother texture. Taste and add another pinch of salt if necessary.
Serve immediately with tortilla chips. If desired, you can garnish with chopped veggies: we used a bit of finely chopped tomato, red onion and green onion with a drizzle of Cholula hot sauce.

Category: Appetizer
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Mexican inspired

Keywords: Bean dip, bean dip recipe

More great dip recipes

We love to dip, over here! Here are some of our top favorite dip recipes if you’re looking for more inspiration:

Bake up a pan of the popular classic Spinach Artichoke Dip
Or try it cold with Easy Spinach Dip (the kind you stuff into bread!)
Mix up some Dill Pickle Dip to feed your pickle craving
Enjoy this favorite Peanut Butter Dip with green apple slices
Use pitas to scoop up Whipped Feta Dip that’s drizzled with honey

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers aren’t the kind your mom made. They’re meatless and loaded with fresh flavor. They’re cheesy as shown, yes, but the cheese is actually non-essential.…

The post Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe

These stuffed peppers aren’t the kind your mom made. They’re meatless and loaded with fresh flavor. They’re cheesy as shown, yes, but the cheese is actually non-essential. You can easily make these peppers dairy free or vegan.

I was inspired to incorporate some of my favorite Mexican ingredients, including pinto beans, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, lime, chili powder and cumin. The filling is so tasty, I could eat it as a side dish! These peppers are somewhat time consuming, but each element is simple to make.

stuffed pepper ingredients

The trick to making great stuffed peppers is to slice the peppers in half from the stem end down through the base. Then, pre-roast the halves until they’re tender and a bit caramelized at the sliced edges. This way, their flavor is condensed and their texture is just right—not too crisp, but not falling apart.

Please do yourself a favor and cook extra brown rice while you’re at it. Then, you’ll be one step closer to dinner tomorrow night—say, Extra Veggie Fried Rice or any of these rice-based dishes. High five!

Continue to the recipe...

The post Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Poblano White Chicken Chili

This Poblano White Chicken Chili recipe comes together quickly in less than 30 minutes and is so flavorful and comforting. As soon as the weather begins to cool off each fall, I have a bit of an obsession for making sure that we always have some sort of chili all meal-prepped, stocked in the freezer, […]

This Poblano White Chicken Chili recipe comes together quickly in less than 30 minutes and is so flavorful and comforting.

Poblano White Chicken Chili Recipe

As soon as the weather begins to cool off each fall, I have a bit of an obsession for making sure that we always have some sort of chili all meal-prepped, stocked in the freezer, and ready to reheat for a quick lunch or dinner whenever those last-minute soup cravings arise. We usually meal-prep some sort of plant-based chili to keep on hand, so that my vegetarian husband can enjoy it too. But this fall, while pregnancy has had me craving so much chicken (lol, if you couldn’t tell by this month’s list of recipes), this poblano white chicken chili has been totally hitting the spot. ♡

It’s loaded up with tons of beans and chicken for protein, plus lots of zesty poblano peppers to add some extra flavor and a touch of heat. And when piled high with all of my favorite toppings (you know me and chili, the more the merrier!), this white chicken chili is so cozy and flavorful and hits the spot every single time.

I’m also extra-partial to this recipe because it comes together very quickly in less than 30 minutes. And instead of adding any extra flours or cornstarch as a thickener, I just puréed a can of beans in the blender and added it to the soup, which adds some nice extra protein and works like a charm. (And also keeps this chili gluten-free!) Oh, and if you can’t find poblano peppers at your grocery store, I’ve included an option below to just use canned diced green chiles instead.

Let’s make some white chicken chili!

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Easy White Chicken Chili

This comforting and delicious white chicken chili is easy to make thanks to rotisserie chicken. You can have a bowl of yummy white chicken chili on the dinner table in no time! During the fall and winter months, we are always looking for easy and comfo…

The post Easy White Chicken Chili appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Incredible Jalapeno Pizza

This incredible jalapeno pizza is the best way to enjoy this mighty pepper on a cheesy pie! It’s full of savory, spicy flavor. Every time we make a new pizza recipe…it’s our new favorite. Apologies if we sound like a broken record around here. But you absolutely must try this Jalapeño Pizza! This is destined to be a hit if you love the bright zingy flavor of this mighty pepper. Instead of a tomato sauce or even a white sauce, this pizza has a base of tangy salsa verde! Pair the heat of the jalapeno with savory zucchini, bright sweet corn, and gooey cheese, and it’s a uniquely delicious pie that you’ll fall head over heels for. Let’s make one! How to make a jalapeno pizza You could call this jalapeno pizza a green pizza…because it’s topped with bright green salsa verde! Forget the typical tomato-based pizza sauce here, or even a white sauce. The bright flavor of the salsa is the perfect pairing for the spicy jalapeno. Here are the basic steps to make it (or go right to the recipe): Make the pizza dough. See below. Or, you can also do a “cheater” pizza by using this as a […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This incredible jalapeno pizza is the best way to enjoy this mighty pepper on a cheesy pie! It’s full of savory, spicy flavor.

Every time we make a new pizza recipe…it’s our new favorite. Apologies if we sound like a broken record around here. But you absolutely must try this Jalapeño Pizza! This is destined to be a hit if you love the bright zingy flavor of this mighty pepper. Instead of a tomato sauce or even a white sauce, this pizza has a base of tangy salsa verde! Pair the heat of the jalapeno with savory zucchini, bright sweet corn, and gooey cheese, and it’s a uniquely delicious pie that you’ll fall head over heels for. Let’s make one!

How to make a jalapeno pizza

You could call this jalapeno pizza a green pizza…because it’s topped with bright green salsa verde! Forget the typical tomato-based pizza sauce here, or even a white sauce. The bright flavor of the salsa is the perfect pairing for the spicy jalapeno. Here are the basic steps to make it (or go right to the recipe):

Make the pizza dough. See below. Or, you can also do a “cheater” pizza by using this as a topping for Naan Pizza or Flatbread Pizza!
Saute the zucchini. All you need is 1/2 cup sliced zucchini. Saute it up in a small skillet: it takes just 5 minutes because of the small quantity.
Slice the jalapeno pepper. Make sure to protect your hands from the spicy juices! Wash your hands thoroughly after cutting.
Slice the corn off of the cob. Here’s our secret method for how to cut corn without spraying it all over your kitchen.
Top that pie and bake! Load everything on with mozzarella and feta cheese and bake for 5 minutes until the cheese is golden.

Pizza dough options!

Easily the hardest part of a homemade pizza is the pizza dough. But then again, easily the best part of a homemade pizza is homemade pizza dough! We highly recommend making our master recipe, below. But, there’s not always time for pizza dough. Below are a few shortcuts too!

Pizza dough: master recipe! This Best Pizza Dough has the absolute perfect flavor and texture. Stretching the dough takes a bit of practice, but it’s not hard. Head to How to Stretch Pizza Dough.
Thin crust. Try this Thin Crust Pizza Doug! It’s easy to roll out into a thinner, crispier crust.
Pan pizza. Another option: make this as a pan pizza in a cast iron skillet! It takes a little longer, but it’s an easier method.
Naan or flatbread pizza. Here’s the quickest and easiest option! Try our Naan Pizza or Flatbread Pizza using purchased flatbread.

Use a pizza stone if you can!

This jalapeno pizza tastes amazing when you bake it on a pizza stone. It’s especially helpful for our basic and thin crust options, above. Here’s why:

Pizza stone: A pizza stone is what makes Italian pizza crust crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Here’s the best pizza stone we’ve found, plus care tips.
Pizza peel: Use a pizza peel to transfer the pizza onto the hot pizza stone in the oven. We recommend this Standard pizza peel or this Conveyor pizza peel.

More topping ideas for jalapeno pizza

Of course, you can use lots of different vegetables on your jalapeno pizza! Here are a few ideas of other flavors that would pair well:

White sauce: Try the ricotta cheese sauce from this white pizza instead of salsa verde.
Hot sauce: Want to blow your face off? Drizzle with Cholula.
Bacon and cream cheese: Turn it into a jalapeno popper pizza by spreading the crust with cream cheese and topping with bacon.
Bell peppers: Add more peppers, like the sauteed bell peppers from this healthy pizza.
Mushrooms: Try the mushroom sausage from this pan pizza.
Refried beans: Put jalapeno on a taco pizza instead.

How hot is a jalapeno pepper?

The jalapeno pepper is a medium spicy pepper. We’re assuming if you’re making this jalapeno pizza, you can handle the heat! The heat rating is 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units (SHU). Here’s where it stacks up against other types of peppers:

Green pepper: No spice
Anaheim pepper: Very mild
Poblano peppers: Mild
Jalapeno peppers: Medium hot
Serrano peppers: Hot
Cayenne: Very hot
Habanero: Extremely hot
Ghost pepper: Outrageously hot

More jalapeno recipes

Love jalapeno peppers? Us too. There’s something about the flavor that’s not just spicy: it’s fresh and bright, too! Here are some of our favorite jalapeno recipes to try:

Pickled Jalapeños Add big flavor to your meals with these easy homemade pickled jalapeños! With only 10 minutes hands on time, they add a tangy kick to tacos and chili.
Jalapeño Margarita Heat up your cocktail repertoire with this spicy margarita! Crisp and tart, it’s got just the right kick.
The BEST Salsa This fresh salsa features ripe and juicy tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeño, and lots of lime.
Simple Guacamole The best simple guacamole with the perfect flavor! You’ll hear a chorus of “Wow’s” every time you serve it.

This jalapeno pizza recipe is…

Vegetarian.